The webinars will provide practical advice and tools to help coaches, youth leaders, and parents take charge of the safety of children in their care and take positive, effective action to prevent abuse and bullying.

Yet another young life has been tragically lost because of bullying. Last week, fourteen-year-old Phillip Parker committed suicide. His parents say he had been cruelly bullied for being gay. It’s not enough to love your kids and to be upset and worried about the bullying. Parents, educators, youth leaders, and all caring adults must take these actions to help prevent young people who are being bullied from being overwhelmed by despair.

So today I must applaud the announcement that the FBI and the Department of Justice have finally expanded the definition of the crime of rape to include the sexual assaults of men, children and any adult who cannot give consent to sex. Though I hate the idea that anyone would experience this or any kind of violence in their lives, it is important to define it accurately in our statistics, so we can work more effectively to prevent this terrible crime.